Door-latch-operating means



Nov. 19, 1929. s, F WREAD 1,735,914

DOOR LATCH OPERATING MEANS l I Original Filed Feb. 19. 1927 f2 Sheets-Sheet l 3 l ,f ...wa 40 4 Z6 F .3. .gi 35 ,15H5 23 f2 57 /5 7 1 4a 57 l l I 35 Wo 5l ,7 v 3 33 INVENTOR. Sferzcer Wead B *l 6o WM Nov. 19, 1929. s. F. WREAD 1,735,914

DOOR LATCH OPERATING MEANS Original Filed Feb. 19. 1927 2 Sheets-She'et 2 Patented Nov. 19, 1929 man i srnncnn F. wanen, or Los ANGELES, cALiFonNiA Vi),ooit-LATcn-ornnnrriver MEANS Application lei February 19, 1927, SerialV No. 168,484. Renewed April` 8, 1929.

rlhis invention relates vto door latch operating means, and more particularly to means for operating the latch of a y front door. Anobject of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive operating means particularly useful for withdrawing the latch bolt of t-he latch v'shown in my copending application executed February 1, '1927, Serial No. 166,431, filedvFebruary 7, 1,927.

An object is to provide a novel Vlatch operating means which maybeeasily and quiclily reversed so as to adapt the latch and operating means, without removing or reversing any of the enclosed .working parts of the latch, to be applied-to doors that are hinged to swing indierent directions.v

Another object. is to, provide a novel latch operating means of the character; stated which may be produced by sheetmetal stampl ings and rused'in connection with standard front door handles and thumbv leversQor latches. ,A v.-.. 1 y

An object is to provide a latch and novel'l handley andjthumb latchoperating means therefor which maybe assembled in doors of a V,narroviner thickness than" has heretofore been used Vfor'door latches having handle 'and thumb'latch operating means. f

A. featureA of the invention is that blyffh.

3o addition, ofa few inexpensive parts,'toa

1 standardfnight latch Va. .handle and' thumb latch operating fmeans whichr is standard for front doors maybe easily, quickly and Cheaplrprovided.

v vAti-further feature of. the invention resides inthe provision of-novel means whereby han# dle and thumb .latch operating means may be used to retract thelatch bolt,` without-or independentA of, knob spindles. y

Features ofvinventionreside in the parts and combinations of parts more specifically hereinafter referred .to. y ,Y Other Y objects, advantages Aand features :of invention may appear `from the accompany-- in drawing, the subjoined detail description anl the appended claimsil i l Y Thev 4accompanying drawings illustrate the invention/in vthe forms I at presentfdeem preferable.A 1

Figure 1 is a. fragmental edge view of a truction along a plane indicated by irregu` ar line 1-1, Fig. 2.

Fig 2 iS a vertical section taken onirregular linev2--2, Fig. 1showing in dotted lines the position of the parts when the latch bolt isretracted by the thumb'latch operatedl mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 2, with the usual door rosettes re-v moved.

ing. i is a. dean ena' View of the .Otter housing, showing'the inner side of the latch operating means supporting anges. Fig. 51s a perspective detailjview of the` f atch engaging lever lshown in Figs. 1V and 2.

Fig. 6.is a perspective detail view ofthe' bell crank lever shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary edge view partly in section of a Vdoor with a latchV and operating means embodying invention.

amodified form of my ,Fig.8 is a verticalsection taken on'irregula-r line 8 8, Fig. 7, showing in dotted lines the position of the parts when the latch' bolt isretracted by the thumb latch operating mechanism.

.Fig 9 is a perspective detail view.ofi-the*` atch engaging levenshown in Figs.V Zand 8.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary outsiderviewon areducedv scale of a door equippedwithja which is constructed in accordancei with the]y atch operating mechanism constructed in" accordancewith my invention.

F ig. 11 is a view of the blanl; fromV -the outer or guide yhoinsingand the latch op v y, v erating means supporting flanges are formed.

In thediawingsl have shown; a,v Alatch 1 atchl described and v claimed in myi cepend-` ing application for combinationlatch` holder and `guide executed February 1f,l 19271,`2Serial No. 166,431, filed February 7,1927, andwliich latch for the sake of. brevity will not be here7 i 1 in described in detail,.but which includes generally a plate 2 formed with an outer or guide housingV 2%, a lower plate member 3l depend- I ing from the lower forward edge-ofthehousng Vand an upper plate member 4' upstandf ing from the upper forward edge of the rmore Vpaiticularly described in my copending application, Serial No. 173,860, liled March 9, 1927. The spindlemextends through the yoke 8 and serves to retract the inner housing and latch bolt. An outside door lock 14 is preferably `used in the combination,

" andy lugs 15 project outwardly from saidV inner sleeve housing throughlongitudinal slots 16 inv opposite side walls of the outer housing and cover plate 16 that is received on the upsetV edges 1, 1.

The Vflanges' 3, 4 are respectively provided with screw holes 17 and. 18'which respectively register with rscrew holes in the edge plate 6 'vtoreceive screws 19 and V2O for holding the edge plate 6 and plate members 3, 4 and the plate members 3, 4. The lugs are located latch outer or guide housing 2fL in position in the fdoor. The edge of the door 21 has -a coiintersink 22 cuttherein to receive the plate meniber's`- 3, 4 and theedge plate, and the door is mortised as at 23 to receive the latch 1.

VTwo pairs of lugs 25, 26 are struck up from lthe plate member 3 and two pairs of lugs 27 28 are also struck up froml the plate member 4.Y All of said lugs extend inwardly from the the'same Adistance/trom the central horizontal axis of the latch 1'v as the lugs 28 and the lugs 26 are located the same distance from said axis as are thelugs 27. The door is mortised A nach engaging lever 35 isfpivoted et 'se at' 29 and 30 below theflatch mortise 23 to receive they lugsv25,26 and the thumb leverr or'latch opera-ting means a,`v and the vdoor is-niortised aboveV the latch morti'se 23 as at 31,32 to receive the lugs 27 and 28.`

between lugs 26 and isvormed with a fork 37 i at vits upper end to` straddle the outer guide lhousing 2`Qso thatthe' fork will 'engage the forward edges of the latch lugs 15 that extend i l from'op Vosite sidesres'pectively of said housfing 2. r he lowervend 3910iI lever 35 extends downwardly and rearwardly at a slight Vanglel in vorder'to engage one'end Of'an'intermediate bell crank'lever 40which isfpivotedfat 41 between the lugs 25. .l Y

One arm 42 of lever 40 extends upwardly inwardly from 'the inwardly and vhorizontally extending arm 43 of lever40.

.A handle plate 44 is secured on theoutside of 1do`or21 by means of sc rews'44 andto 'I V,which platey 44 theV upper end of a door handle ce 45 is secured by astu-d 46'andnu't47., The lower end lof handle 45 is connected to a plate 48 that is secured to the door by screws y48.

The plate 4.4 is formed witte poekeme Whitt receivesthe'stud 46 and nutf47jand inthe upper end of said pocket 4a'thumb latch or operating lever is pivoted as at 51 above the upper end of handle'45 and which lever 5() comprises athumb engaging piece 53 formed on the. outer end of the crank lever engaging member 54. The thumb piece member 53 extends through an opening 52 provided in plate 44 and member 5'4 extends into the doorY through an opening 55and into the mortise 29 underneath the rear end of the horizontal arm 43v ofthe intermediate bell crank lever 40. The lever 50 being pivoted to the plate. 44 is detachably connected to, and may be removed from, the doorfwhen plate 44 is removed therefrom.

In operation of the device shown in Figs. 1-3, a person upon gripping the door handle 45 will place his ythumb on thumb piece 53 and with his thumb exertap'ressure against,

and depress inem-ber 53, thereby operating leverl 50, so that the rear arn'i 54 of lever 5() will be swung upward and engage arm 43 ot lever 4U sit/inging said lever 40 counterclocke Vwise which movement will cause arm" 42 to engage arm 39 and'sfwing lever 35 clockwise, whereupon the fork 37 of lever 35 will engage and move the lugs 15 and the inner housing rearwardl into the ldoorl and retract the latch bolt 9 which is'connected to said inner housing. U on releasing the pressure on ineinber soV projected from ido . 2 with its upstandingand .depending ii-anges 3, e and lugs 25, 26,27 and ais-,may be formed from a singleblank b, Figfll, that l comprises a body portion `from which the side wall 2 of the housing and thefto'pj wal-1 2v and bottcm 4wall 2 'of the' housing areA formed by ben-ding the blank onlines 0 and d.. The ilanges 3 and 4 are Vforinedby bending the extensions at the side edges ofthe'blankv on lines'e and The dotted lines 25', 26 27g" andV 28 indicatethe manner andV relative posi# tiene eftte1uge-25ae7 and '28 and the e'VY holes 17 andv 18 receive the screws 19 and 20,

respectively. Y Thejlever35-'Inaybe stamped from a single piece of sheet material and bent. upon itself atits lower end 'so'that the faceends of the' material 'will vforni the fork 37.-l

The lever 40 al'sobe formed of a single piece of 'Sheetfeetenai teetepon itself et the end 61- of the arn 43.

y Toreverse the latch fora door swinging in the op'pdsite direetionthe sere-weis) and 20 are removed from the .door thenthe edgev plate 6 and latch 1 with its plate members 3, 4 and the levers 35, 40 pivoted toroneot 'said flanges are removed frointhed'oor. The 1`evers 35, 40 are then removed from the lugs 26, 25 and pivoted between the lugs 27 and 28. The latch unit is then'reve'rsed or im'fe'rted` and replaced in the mortise 23 in the door, thus changing the usual beveled edge gV of the latch bolt 9 with respect to the door facings.` lIhe latch unit is'then secured to the door by the screws 19, 20.

- 1 In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 7-9 only a single pair of lugs 65 or 66 are struck inwardly from each of the flanges 3, 4, respectively. The lugs 65 fit in the incrtise 29 while the lugs 66 lit in a mortise 32 in the edge of the door. A right angle bell crank lever 67 is pivoted at 68 to the lugs 65 l v with a cam engaging surface 7 6 which is engaged by a cam 82 formed on a thumb operated lever 77 that is pivoted at 78 to the inside of plate 44 and is formed with a thumb piece 80 which extends through an opening 81 in plate 44" over the upper end of the handle 45.

In operation upon depressing the operating lever 77 the cam 82 engaging the cam surface 76 will .depress lever 72 which in turn depresses the arm 75 and swings the lever 67 clockwise, whereupon the fork 69 of lever 67 engages the lugs 15 and retracts the bolt latch 9 as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 8. yUpon releasing the lever 77 the latch spring 11 restores the parts to normal position.

The lever 67 may be stamped out of a single piece of sheet metal and bent upon itself at the end 83 of the lever arm 75 and the ends of the material bent to form the fork 69. A rivet 7 6 passes through the arm 70 and secures together the pieces forming said arm.

The latch shown in Figs. 7-9 may be reversed to adapt the latch to a door that swings l in the opposite direction from that shownhf lever and saidlirstmentioned lever for causbyremoving the latch and pivoting'the lever y 67 to lug 66 linsteadl of lug 65 andthen re.

placing the latch with the lever 67 in the mortise29. t

'Iheouter or guide housing 2' shown in Fig. 8 isy made from a blank analogous to that shown in Fig. 11 exceptthat only a single pair of lugs is struck'up from each flange 3',

4 instead of two pairs of lugs.

In the event the latch bolt 9, inner housing 7 4and yoke 8 were made in one piece Yor immovably fixed to each other such parts would be a latch bolt.

I claim: Y

1. lIn a door. latch comprising a plate formed with an outer housing anupper plate memberand a lower plate member; lugs ex-1 ltending inwardly from said plate members;

a latch engaging lever pivoted-to the lugs on one of said plate' members; and means for op"- erating said latch'lever to retract the latch.

2.- In 1 a door latch comprising `a plate formed y with plate members extending u'ps ward and downward respectively; lugs extending'fromsaid plate members; a latch i engaging lever pivoted to the lugs on one lof said lplate members; andmeans for swinging saidlatch engaging lever to retract said latch.

8.9In a door latch comprising a latchk bolt ;v

a plate,v lugs extending from said plate; a

latch .engagingv lever pivoted to said plateand adapted to engage said latch bolt; andmeans for operating said. latch` engaging lever to retractsaid latch bolt. l f 4.In adoor latch having a latch bolt, a

thumb operated lever; a' latch engaging lever 'engaging said latch bolt; and means interposed between lsaid thumboperated lever and said latch engaginglever for operating the latch engaging lever when said thumb operated lever is-depressedto retract said latch 5. In a door latch, .a thumb lever adapted to be depressed by the'operators thumb; `a cam'l on said thumb lever; a cam actuated lever formed with a cam surface to be engaged by the cam on said thumb lever; and

means actuated by said cam-actuated lever for retracting the latch.

6. In a ,door latch having a latch bolt provided with lugs' projecting from opposite sides of said latch bolt; a lever formed with a fork straddling the latch and engaging said lugs on opposite sides of the latch; a thumbl 7. In aldoor latch having-al latch bolt prov vided with lugs proj ecting'from opposite sides of the latch bolt; a lever formed with a fork n straddling-the latch and engaging said lugs on opposite sides of the latch; a thumb lever;

and means interposed between said thumb ing-said iirst mentioned lever to retract the' i latch bolt when the thumb lever'is depressed, `.said first Vmentioned'lever being formed of a f the edge of a door; a -latch engaging lever.v pivoted to said plate; and meansto operateV said lever to retract said latch bolt.4 p

9. In a door latch having a latch bolt;'a plate adapted to be secured to the edge of 'a door; a bell crank lever pivoted to said plate,

10. In a doorlatch having alatch bolt; a housing-for saidlatch bolt; a plate extending material bent andv means to operate said bell crank to re- 'tract said latch bolt.

. from said housing andadapted to be securedV to the edge of a door; a bell Crank lever ene gaging said latch bolt; and means to operate said bell crank lever to retract said latch bolt. i v Y 11; In a door latch having a/latc'h bolt; a

Vplate formed `with members extending re-- speetivelyabove and below said latch'bolt; pairs of lugs on each of said plate members, each pair of'lugs beingspaeed from the horizontalzaxis of said latch bolt the same distance as its -corresponding'pair on, an opposite plate. wml l i `l2. In a door latch having a latch bolt and a .housing in which said latch slides; said housing being formed of a sheet metal stamping comprising a body portion adapted to be bent to form a sidetop and bottom Wall oi Y said housing; and extensions at the side edges of body portion adapted to be bentto form plates upstandingand depending from the' top and bottom Walls of said housing.

In testimony whereof7 I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 12th Y day of February, 1927.

SPENCER FQWREAD.` 

